The Knesset plenum held tonight (Monday) the debate on the bill for the absorption of discharged soldiers, which is legally recognized
“Dimensions for studies”. Shortly after midnight, Defense Minister Bnei Gantz arrived at the plenum and presented a compromise to the Likud and the opposition, a compromise was reached later: the scholarship amount will be 75% instead of 66% as proposed by law. “IDF soldiers have never been part of the political game,” Ganz said.
About an hour and a half later, after a discussion in the Likud faction with the opposition leaders, a compromise was reached and the Likud was quick to announce: “Victory for the Likud: Our struggle led to an increase in scholarships for IDF fighters.
“The proposal increases what the combatant IDF soldiers have ever received”
Ganz said in the plenum: “I think everyone here should stand and look at themselves and ask where we have come from? Some tell me that I should pull the debate – I hurt the Likud, and am portrayed as acting for the soldiers. I decided to put an end to it. My goal is not to hurt the Likud But to strengthen IDF soldiers and maintain the integrity of the government. Therefore, I would like to offer to accept the reservation that was also proposed by the opposition and to increase the amount of the scholarship to 75%. ”
The Minister of Defense explained in his remarks that this is a proposal that preserves the leading principle underlying the system of system support on the one hand, and the commitment of the individual on the other. “The proposal increases what the combatant IDF soldiers have ever received. Most of all, this is a good offer, which serves Israeli society. “I am not prepared for politics to hurt the IDF. I ask everyone, both coalition and opposition, to vote in favor of this proposal in coordination with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. If we do, we will stop the bad situation we are in regarding our commitment to IDF soldiers.”
Likud MK Galit Distel responded on her Twitter account: “We have made progress. Thanks to the Likud’s insistence, funding for the soldiers has increased, hoping that nothing will fall apart by the time of the vote. “Ahla Bnei Gantz.”
Kish: “This law is going to fall, I want to save the fall”
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Ram Ben Barak, presented the proposal and said: “When I chose to get into politics, I thought there were things that are above politics but it turns out I was naive. I did not believe that there could be a situation in which Likud members would stab the IDF fighters in the back. I did not believe that the Likud would be against an unjust law, that the Likud would be against tens of thousands of fighters for whom the law is. “Fight for us. You in the accounting of petty politics spit in their face. How are you able to look in the mirror? Never before have so many been ashamed of so few.”
“Who are you beating, Amsalem? Aren’t you ashamed ?!” – @Ram_Ben_Barak He responded by shouting at him from the side @dudiamsalem: “You are an Arabist”@yairlapid pic.twitter.com/o2nQez6x7s
– Knesset Channel (@KnessetT) May 23, 2022
On the other hand, MK Yoav Kish addressed Defense Minister Bnei Gantz and said: “This law is going to fall, I want to save the fall. We negotiated a simple proposal that the first and second year will get 66% and the third year will get 100% in case of graduation. “Here is a problem of budgeting, it is a proposal that is a compromise and it will pass the law, if the law does not fall.”
Fighters demonstrate in front of the Knesset today Photo: Yonatan Sindel / Flash90
What does the law say?
The law proposes that the Dimensions Reserve Fund fund two-thirds of the annual university tuition fee at an institution of higher education and art institutions, for up to three years of study or up to four years for certain professions. Where he was discharged from regular or permanent service or reserve which lasted more than a year.
Eligibility will be given to a soldier who served as a soldier for a period as stated in the law, to a soldier whose parents received family payments (2004), who was a lone soldier, or who is a member of the Arab population, including the Druze or Circassian and a new immigrant soldier. That a soldier will be entitled to a benefit even if he has not completed his period of service or has moved to a rear position, if this was caused due to an injury.
The explanatory memorandum states that as of 2016, IDF discharged soldiers who are combatants and discharged soldiers from unique populations are provided with additional assistance, in addition to the law, for higher education, as part of the “Dimensions for Studies” program. , Participation is provided in the financing of the tuition fees of eligible discharged soldiers in institutions of higher education, from donations and estates dedicated to this purpose.
The law, as it stands, proposes to regulate the “Dimensions for Studies” program in legislation and budget it in the budget of the Fund for the Absorption of Veterans within the meaning of the law, so that an additional benefit will be given to the populations entitled to it.
The purpose of the additional benefit is to express appreciation to soldiers discharged from regular service who have served in combat roles. The additional benefit reflects additional remuneration for service in these roles, in view of the unique difficulty and risk to life inherent in service in combat roles. All this, in addition to the rights granted today by law to all servants. The benefit is also intended to encourage soldiers and those designated for security service to serve in combat roles. “